Although window boxes are traditionally thought of as outdoor projects (see “Little Gardens,”), there’s no reason you can’t use the basic concept to decorate your home’s interior. In fact, indoor window boxes offer the obvious advantages of year-round climate control and protection for your plants. Because it’s not always desirable or convenient to permanently hang a window box from an interior windowsill, the alternative is to build a plant stand that provides the visual appeal of an outdoor window box.
I welded this stand using commonly available lengths of steel stock I bought at The Home Depot. Most home centers and hardware stores carry these sizes, but you’ll find that the same materials cost significantly less at metal wholesale outlets and welding suppliers. I used 1-1/2-in. flat washers for the feet and wooden cabinet pulls for the finials. (Once they’re painted, you can’t tell they’re wood.)
You can use this stand as a starting point to create a design that suits your needs. When designing a stand, you should first consider the space available and then the stand’s appearance. Once you’ve established the general size and look of the stand, you’ll need to purchase the planter or pots to determine the final dimensions.
Organize your work
As with any welding project, you should work methodically. Cut all of the parts to size; work on a flat, fireproof surface (preferably a steel welding bench); and clamp parts in position before welding when possible. Cut the parts as accurately as you can. Any MIG or wire-feed welder is suitable for this project.
You’ll need to bore holes to position the stretchers in the legs. Drilling steel can be hazardous, so use a cross vise and a drill press for this operation, and wear safety glasses. To prevent the drill bit from wandering, use a center punch to dimple the metal before boring small pilot holes. Bore the final holes slightly larger than the rod stock.
When I made the cradle hoops that hold the planter, I marked the bending points and simply formed the bends on the edge of my welding bench. I used one completed section as a template and adjusted the other three to match it as closely as possible. You can use either 1/8- or 3/16-in.-thick stock for these parts.
To keep the assembly process from becoming unwieldy, weld subassemblies first, such as the planter cradle or sides, and then join them together. Use a square and tape to ensure that the parts are square before final assembly. Weld the feet (flat washers) on last.
The 1-1/2-in.-dia. wooden cabinet pulls I used for the finials are available at any home center. I made plugs to fit snugly inside the legs and then screwed the plugs to the bottom of the pulls. (For the finials to be centered on the legs, the plugs must be centered on the bottom of the finials.) I used epoxy to secure the finial assemblies into the leg tops and finished the stand with Rust-Oleum Textured indoor/outdoor paint. Apply self-adhesive felt or rubber foot pads after the paint is dry.